NextGen Pocket Holsters from Double Tap, Crossbreed, Recluse

Pocket holsters have come a long way in the last five years since the explosion of smaller guns coming into the market. These are, from top left clockwise, a Walther PPS in a Double Tap pocket holster, a Smith & Wesson Airweight in a Recluse, a Beretta Px4 Subcompact in a Double Tap, a Diamondback 380 in a Crossbreed, a Para P10 in a Double Tap.

This was hopefully my last pouch holster ever. I bought it online after reading a print magazine article that claimed the holster would stay put because of the rubberized wrap. It did for a while, but now it comes right out of your pocket when you draw.

This article came about after I ran into the Double Tap pocket holster several months ago and ordered this for my S&W. Other than the gun having more of a propensity to rust where it isn’t made of aluminum, the holster is pretty much perfect, for twenty bucks.

This is a Glock holster from Double Tap. It is a simple design, but the front hook and the rear hook make the holster fall from the gun 100% of the time, which is what you need. It also re-holsters very easy when it stays in your pocket, but sometimes it flies out on a very quick draw.

The Crossbreed holster combines the same Kydex form fitting approach, but it rivets the plastic clippy holster to a piece of leather. This can be used in your back pocket to look like a wallet, or in your front pocket to protect the gun from sweat.

Like any new leather holster, the Crossbreed will take some break in, but the combination of leather and plastic looks very promissing. This holster was made for the Diamondback .380 which we will be reviewing soon.

It is available for the micro guns as well as bigger models like this Sig P238.

The Recluse holster is much more expensive than most pocket holsters, but they bill it as the perfect pocket holster.

The Recluse design centers on this trigger block made of urethane. You lock the gun onto the trigger block, and when you need to draw it you slip your fingers between the gun and the holster, popping the gun off.

This is the half size for revolvers I haven’t tried yet. They also come in horse hide.

The Recluse is available for autos with and without an extra magazine pouch.

The is the model for the Kel-Tec with extra magazine. Check out their website. There are a lot of different Recluse designs.

We have gotten a several of the Double Taps in preparation for this article. This is the Walther PPS. If you have a gun not on the list, Both Double Tap and Recluse will try to have a holster made for you. Both the Px4 and P-10 holsters from Double Tap were the first of that model for them, but they work perfect and really complete both guns as true pocket pistols.

I have been at war with pocket holsters since my first concealed carry permit back in New Hampshire in the 80s. Back then the only pocket holsters were leather pouches. They were simple and kept the gun upright in your pocket at first, but eventually even the best of them would slump and buckle, providing little benefit to carrying the gun alone in your pocket. For many years I even carried an AMT Backup 45 with no holster at all in my front pocket, because there was no holster that fit it well and gave me access to the gun. Now, almost 30 years later, due in part to the explosion of micro-pistols in .380, 9mm, and now .45ACP, there are a lot more options to carry a gun in your pocket. Many of them are made from new materials, and a lot more thinking went into making them than back in the day. The pocket holster of today has arrived.

This issue of why you would want to choose a pocket holster as opposed to a belt holster is really about leaving your shirt un-tucked, or having to wear some kind of jacket or vest. With a belt holster of nearly every kind, you have to choose a form of dress that will hide your weapon. This can make you look, well, shlumpy, or kinda like a stalker, no offense to you tactical vest wearers out there.

A concealed carry permit in most states is just that, concealed. It is a violation to expose your firearm in public, because it can upset the sheeple and make them all jittery while they are lining up to have their microchips installed. If you aren’t careful, or if you just simply forget to make sure your gun is covered when you bend over or while you are carrying stuff up the stairs, with a belt holster your gun can become exposed without you realizing it. There are “tuckable” holsters, including some from Crossbreed Holsters, whose pocket holster we are covering here, but even with those the shirt is only a little bit tuckable, and you really have to keep an awareness as to whether your gun has become exposed. With a pocket holster your gun is out of sight out of mind, until you need it. Front pocket or rear pocket, the most plausible form of concealed carry for what I would argue is by far the majority of us is the modern pocket holster.

The most classic of all pocket guns is the .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver, called the “J-Frame.” They are still popular, and those “in the know” still carry them, despite the dozens of micro-pistol options that have entered the market since the explosion nationwide in concealed carry permits. The main strength of a revolver is that it always goes boom, no matter how dirty or full of pocket lint you get it, and it has no levers, slides, safeties or other gadgetry to get in your way when you need to use it. Pocket guns do pick up lint and get dusty inside and outside. I’d like to say I take my gun out and clean it every couple weeks, or even better, shoot it and clean it, but I don’t. The revolver you see in the pictures is my current pocket gun, and it has seen better days, but I periodically do take it out and fire it, and it has never failed.

A small semi-auto pistol generally carries at least one more round than a small revolver, and you can swap out a magazine on them quicker than you can reload a revolver. I have never seen a pocket gun not deteriorate in some way from long term pocket carry, so you have to be much more up on the cleaning and maintenance of a semi-auto pistol than you do a revolver. Even a small amount of lint and dust have hung up my Para P-10, my Beretta Px4 Subcompact, and even the old reliable AMT Backup .45 had firing pin issues, just from sitting my pocket. None of the new pocket pistols in the market are more than a couple years old at this point, so they are unproven under long term carry inside the pocket. If you are carrying a pocket gun, go to the range and pull it out of your pocket and fire it, as if you needed to fire it to protect your life. If it has been in your pocket for a while with no maintenance you may be surprised when it doesn’t reliable chamber the second round. I’m not saying don’t maintain your carry gun. Many people in practical use just don’t, so be aware of it.

As a lifetime pocket gun enthusiasts, I have been through over a dozen pocket holsters in 30 years. My latest I bought online because of a positive review in one of the print gun magazines a couple years back, but it quickly became obvious that the reviewer had written the review because it got him a free holster, not because he had used it and carried it for a long time. This holster has a Rubbermaid anti-slip product (also sold as dish drying mats) sewn into it to keep the holster in your pocket when you draw the gun. It worked for a month or so, then the holster came out with the gun on a quick draw.

A good pocket holster doesn’t just hold your gun upright. It also protects the gun, and it protects you or someone else from firing it accidentally, and it protects your life by allowing you easy, repeatable quick access to your firearm when you need it. In my experience, there is not a leather pouch pocket holster that does all of these things well. But a new era of pocket holsters appears to be changing all of that, and so far I have had good experiences with them.

Double Tap Pocket Holster $20

I decided to write this article because of the pocket holsters from Double Tap you see here in the pictures. If you are a regular reader of GunsAmerica Magazine, you probably remember that Brian Jensen first found this company back when he was reviewing the Glock 21. Checking out their website while ordering a belt holster for myself, I saw these pocket holster and decided to try a couple. A few days later they came and I have carried the pocket holster for my Smith & Wesson for a couple months now. The Double Tap pocket holster looks exactly like the day I bought it, and works like the day I bought it. It is a form fit, Kydex, clip in type holster that sits the gun upright in your pocket. The gun clips in and out, based on pressure on the trigger guard opening.

What makes the Double Tap holster unique, and extremely practical, is the two hooks that are built into the molded Kydex. The rear one is angled in such a way that if you quick draw the gun up and out to the rear, the holster naturally catches and falls away, back into your pocket. In some cases, on a very quick and violent draw, the holster will just fly out of your pocket, but the gun is free and ready. If you want extra security, there is a lanyard ring in the corner to attach to a tether if you want one, though I have seen no need for it. With really light guns you can also use that lanyard as a necklace for summer carry, with the gun upside down, but I have to admit I haven’t tested this yet to any extent. Double Tap does also specifically make neck holsters.

What I like about the Double Tap pocket holster the most is that it completely protects the trigger from accidental discharge. If you have young kids and you carry a gun, you know that they tend to crawl on you and grab things and may even reach into your pocket with no warning. If you carry a revolver, the double action trigger is generally a heavy pull, more than can be accidentally discharged by a child, but these new pocket semi-auto pistols have much lighter triggers. That can be a little scary using a pouch holster where a finger can slip down inside of it. On the Double Tap, with the trigger covered, it requires you to actually remove the pistol from your pocket to fire it. This has its drawbacks, and many people carry revolvers specifically because they can be fired from within the pocket, but if you have young kids it is a worthwhile tradeoff. You also don’t have to worry about dropping your keys into your gun pocket by mistake and pulling them out and shooting yourself in the leg. All of the holsters in this article have this feature. The Double Tap is the only one I have carried for any length of time.

The only downside I have found to the Double Tap is gun rust. There is no leather involved, and the gun is “naked” from about half way up. Leather protects your gun from sweat, and I have never had a gun see so much damage from rust as I have with the Double Tap. If you use one, you really have to be aware of when you sweat or get rained on, and go oil the vulnerable surfaces of your gun. I have had problems with this Smith & Wesson with rust since I got it, so the rust is nothing new, but carrying the Double Tap definitely made the gun more vulnerable. This may not be an issue with polymer guns that have a modern finish on their slides, but beware, sometimes the screws and pins will rust on these guns.

The Double Tap pocket holster is available for the Smith & Wesson J-Frame and now the Shield, as well as the Kahr, Taurus, Ruger, and Glock pocket pistols, as well as the Walther PPS, H&K P2000, and even the Beretta Px4 Subcompact, as you see here in the pictures. As soon as they can get one, Double Tap will also be able to provide pocket holsters for the Springfield XDS. If you have a gun that you want a pocket holster for, or any holster, Double Tap can generally get their hands on one to mold it for you, so contact them at DoubleTapHolsters@Gmail.com.

Crossbreed Pocket Rocket $32.95

The Crossbreed holster concept is to employ a Kydex front with a leather back, two “breeds” of holster in one, bringing strengths from both sides. They make all sizes of belt holsters, both tuckable and un-tuckable, and though we haven’t gotten any but this pocket holster to test yet, they look to have a great concept. Kydexa lone is nifty stuff and it has become very popular in holsters. It can be molded to clip a gun perfectly, but it isn’t comfortable to wear and it tends to cut into you. Crossbreed has engineered a hybrid holster with the clip in part bolstered to comfortable and durable leather, so you get the nice, clippy, in and out with a Kydex, and the bendable, durable, comfort of leather.

For this article Crossbreed sent us their pocket holster called the “Pocket Rocket” for the Diamondback .380. We have a review of the Diamondback Firearms pocket pistols coming up and Diamondback just sent us two guns, so it was a perfect chance to try the Crossbreed “Pocket Rocket.” The Diamondback guns just came the other day so I haven’t had a chance to carry this or even break it in, but it looks to be a great product.
Like the Double Tap pocket holster, the Crossbreed completely covers the trigger guard with a clip on Kydex sheath. But instead of being all plastic and not really hiding the outline of the gun, the Crossbreed has a leather backer, riveted to the Kydex. This makes it look just like a wallet in your back pocket, and completely conceals the outline of the gun. To access your weapon, you draw out with your fingers while pushing down on the the leather lip of the holster with your thumb. It is a little sticky at first, like all fitted leather holsters, but once it wears in the holster should work very good. You can also use this holster in the front pocket, and the leather will protect the gun from sweat damage.

The Pocket Rocket can be ordered for left or right handed draw, and it is available for the Beretta 21A Bobcat, Colt Mustang 380, CZ/IMI Micro Desert Eagle 380,Diamondback 380, HellCat .380, Kahr PM, MK, CM Series (will not fit with laser), Kahr P380 (with or without laserguard), KelTec P3AT / P32 (with or without LG-431 laser), Rohrbaugh R-9, Ruger LCP (with or without laser), Sig 238 (No Laser), Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Semi Auto (NOT revolver) and the Taurus PT738. They start at $32.95.

Recluse Holsters $59.99

The other holster company that responded to my inquiry is called Recluse Holsters, and they are the most unique of the bunch. The Recluse holster revolves around a rubberized trigger clamping block in the middle of the holster. This is a patent pending feature and unique to Recluse Holsters. They make both front pocket and rear pocket models, in both black and natural leather, and they are extremely high quality pieces of work. I switched from my Double Tap to the front pocket natural leather version of the Recluse a couple weeks ago for this article, and so far I like the holster a lot.

If you are concerned that your gun will “print” in your pants, the Recluse is a good option. It completely hides the outline on both sides, while securing the trigger from accidental discharge. To access your gun, you slip your hand into the side of the holster and the gun pops off the foam lock so you can draw it. This is almost a half way solution to being able to fire the gun in your pocket I find, and when you carry the Recluse and break it in, you will find that it lends itself to a quick draw. It also stays in your pocket by design, because you separate the gun from it on the draw.

A side benefit of the design that the Recluse is like half of a pouch holster, so it isn’t a pouch. From what I have seen so far, it doesn’t seem to collect and hold dust and lint. That is a big deal for a pocket semi-auto pistol. I don’t know how it will be with rust as compared to the Double Tap, but having that leather there I think tends to draw moisture away from the gun. A lot of thought went into the Recluse and I think it is sound. The only question I have, long term, is whether that foam insert for the trigger will physically break down from the trigger going in and out, or chemically break down from exposure to sweat and body oils. It is made from urethane, not rubber, so it may outlast all of us, who knows. They also have a horsehide option for $18 more.

Re-holstering is definitely an issue for the Recluse. You won’t be able to re-position the gun back in the holster with the trigger block on it without removing the holster from your pocket and re-setting the gun. But in a threatening situation, where you had to draw your weapon, or even fire your weapon, you can always just drop the gun into your pocket and get the heck out of there. Then re-set the gun later. Armchair internet mavens may make something out of it but in practical daily carry use it isn’t a big deal.

There are Recluse Holster designs that include an extra place for a spare magazine as well, so check through their website. Right now, the Recluse is available for the Kahr P380, PM9 & PM40; Kel-Tech P3-AT & P32; Ruger LCP, S&W BG380 and Taurus TCP, and now the Diamondback DB380. If you have another model that you would like to have a Recluse holster for please email your requests to: info@recluseholster.com

I think what is most surprising is that after a month the administrator has left this comment posted. It should be an embrassment to him and if not surely to Guns America. It is very unprofessinal and does not speak well of the owners here at all. I would have deep sixed this the moment after the brain fart that caused it. Oh Well….

I have a Ruger LCP with the Laser Max laser sight, and bought an Uncle George pocket holster for it. I picked this brand because they had one specifically for the LCP with the Laser Max sight, and becuase they made a left handed version. It took a little breaking in, but it’s a great holster. The only drawback is that it does not have a magazine slip, but with the laser sight, I’m not sure there would be room anyway.

Interesting article. I have carried concealed for 30 years or more, primarily with pocket holsters. Most of them were initially or eventually less than satisfactory. I’ve had leather holsters with one or two hooks like the Double Tap. As described in the article, you need to develop a drawing motion to insure that the hook grabs. Not hard to do, but different types of trousers or jeans with different pocket configurations required altering that motion. I was afraid that under the stress of a self-defense situation I might make a fatal mistake. The first synthetic pocket holster I tried had two or three narrow bands of supposedly non-slip material. As described, it worked well for a short time then came out with the gun. But for over two years now I’ve carried a J-frame in an inexpensive pocket holster whose entire exterior is covered in the same rubberized, pebble grain material that continues to remain firmly inside my front right pants pocket. I believe it’s a DeSantis but there’s no label or other ID on it. I like the fact that when a possible threat appears that I can’t immediately avoid, I look very natural slipping both hands in my trouser or jeans pockets with at least a partial purchase on the grip but am positioned for the fastest presentation of which I’m capable. Inside a vehicle you need a different plan; my preference is for an off body carry like a zippered organizer that’s easy to remove for unexpected valet parking stops, etc., while the pocket holster remains in place.

I’ve used various pocket holsters with the leather flap designed to conceal the outline of the firearm. But in every case and in a relatively short time period, the gun would “print” through the leather and be pretty obvious through the hip pocket of standard cut jeans. Loose cut jeans would probably negate this but my vanity just won’t let me do it. If a thin piece of oak (like the soles of my baseball cleats way back when) could be sandwiched between leather flaps, I’d buy that for a trial.

Nice write up. Just purchased the double tap. Hell for 20 bucks it’s got to work some times. I like to wear shorts and tees and my kangaroo holster gets too sweety in the heat. So we’ll see how this works for weekend carry.

I recently purchased a Keltec P11 w/ an Arma Laser attached in front of the trigger guard. Does anyone have any idea where I might find a pocket holster that it will fit into with the laser attached like it is?

I have a LCP with Laser and purchased a horsehide Recluse over a year ago, have had no issues and carried every day. No imprint, lint or rust and trigger guard shows no wear. It stays upright in almost any pocket but some oversize pockets in Cargo Shorts. Only issue is I sometimes forget and drop change in right pocket and it can impede your safely extracting the pistol from the holster while in your pocket. It takes very little practice to quickly get the feel of slipping your hand between the holster and the pistol and removing it without finger on the trigger so it does not accidentally discharge like what happened to NFL player Plexico Burris. At least in most States, you would not do jail time for shooting yourself if you have permit and it does not happen in a Bar/Club.

I made my own pocket holster. It was a real learning curve as I had no experience doing any leather work. The first lesson I learned was to keep the fracking dog out of where I do my leatherwork, as the @#$%^ animal ate my first 2 “creations”. My wife would let the 6 month old Lab in the house after I went to work and then hit the shower…and the dog would pay my office a visit. I was not pleased with either of them. Yeah, I beat the dog. Twice.

I used pics of and discussions about various holsters to make up my mind on how I wanted mine to be, and then made it. 3 times. The only thing I didn’t do with this holster that I should have done is include a holder for an extra mag. Live and learn. The next one will have it.

Pocket Rocket of choice is a low serial numbered Sig P-238, one of those early ones that were recalled. After I got it back, I decided on a left handed pocket carry, even though I’m right handed. I’m far from small, well over 6 foot and over 300 pounds, most every where I go is tight quarters. A belt type holster kept on getting snagged on chairs or being jammed into my kidneys so was not recommended. My right hand pocket is usually full of change, keys, and one or another of several multi-tools, so I decided on the left side. I took an older pair of the type jeans I wear 90% of the time and removed the pocket, and used that as the base template for the holster.

The holster is made from 3 pieces of rather stiff and thick leather. The ejector port side is completely covered, from barrel to dove tail to butt, the safety side is covered from right in front of the rear site to the mag eject button. The end of the holster is closed. I “boned” the leather heavily, the detail is pretty good, to the point I even stamped in the “Sig Sauer P-238″ on the left side and the serial number on the right. The trigger area is deeply indented and covering the mag release mostly stops the problem the P-238 (and the Colt Mustang) has about ejecting the mag if you bang something into the button. The third piece is in the area of the hammer, making that area a triple thickness and is used to significantly stiffen the leather for what I call a push point, where I use my thumb to push the holster away from the gun. All three pieces of leather are glued together with contact cement, and also double stitched. The glue surprised me by making the leather very stiff and even after several years of daily carry the leather is still surprisingly stiff. The holster being closed on the end cuts down on the dust/dirt/lint problem, as does having the ejection port and trigger area covered. I have never noticed a lint problem inside the barrel or around the firing pin. The Sig and the holster can be turned upside down and mild shaking will not cause the .380 to fall out. I have never had anyone tell me that I am printing, although I have noticed more than a few others that were. Most people can’t tell I have it on me even when they see me slide it in my pocket.

After a fair amount of practice, I can draw and fire in about 3 seconds, with almost as good of accuracy lefty as I do with my right hand. I have seen the recommendation that you need to be able to draw and fire in about 2 seconds, but 3 is the best I have managed to do. On the other hand, I consider what is between my ears and my size 12-4Es to be my primary weapons and try to avoid situations where I might need a faster draw.

Whether your holster is good or not, I lost interest as soon as I read your treatment of your dog. Do you have children? I pity them, your wife, and your dog. You are a despicable excuse for a man. No, I don’t belong to PETA or any other ridiculous organizations. I am, however, a dog trainer/handler and a proud member of the human race. So sad there are people like you!

I’m going to try both the Recluse and Double tap if they are made for my carry gun, but I am sorely disappointed with all “pocket” holsters. I do like the ActiveProGear deep concealment shoulder holster, which fits under your shirt, but its not always accessible (like when wearing a suit). Thanks for the info on the new ones!

You might consider the SmartCarry holster. It’s a little different, in that the gun rests in a pouch down by your junk. However, it’s surprisingly comfortable and provides for a fast draw with a little practice. It probably looks a little funny to the observer when you’re drawing your weapon, but they’ll forget all about it when you start shooting.

Well I got my Double Tap pocket holster in last week. I bought one the day this article came out. After reading how well these things work I figured I take a chance. Hell it was cheap, so if it didn’t work I woulnd’t be out much. Well, I’m glad it was cheep! I guess I just don’t get the idea behind it. I’m 6’1 245lbs. I wear blue jeans and NO they are not baggy. Maybe a little too tight, but I can still bend down and move around so to me they fit. I wear only Levi’s. I bring this up because I didn’t see anything on this site or Double Taps site about what type of pants pocket holsters fit. Unless you are wearing lose fitting pants, this holster prints just as bad as if the pistol is by itself. You can’t use it in the back pockets at all. The rear of the gun sticks out just a hair over the pocket. Now for someone that wears slacks, or baggy pants, this would ok. I used it in cargo shorts that I wear all the time on the weekends. With the shorts, it’s a good fit. But they loser fit. I’m not saying it’s a bad holster, but I guess I just don’t know or didn’t know what to expect. For me, I think I’ll stick with my kangaroo holster.

I’ve got a DeSantis Nemesis for my S&W J frame. It stays in the pocket, doesn’t print and the gun draws easily. I wear it with jeans and cargo shorts. I would definitely buy another one. They run about $25

I say don’t waste time waiting and asking and looking around hoping someone will make a holster not listed on their site for you. Don’t even bother to ask if you don’t see your’s listed. Move on. it’s more than likely a big time waster if it isn’t listed there to begin with. Just find those who will provide another suitable holstering option and go that way instead. Unless of course, you are friends with the people making the holsters already.

I’m finding over these past 5 – 6 weeks of searching online, many holster makers won’t even spread for the $50 $60 for the molds even with an order for a holster in hand! The funny thing here is that the one mold will work for two guns, the sR 9C & the sR 40C !! just as the PPS, XD SC, & Shield come in 9mm or 40SW, and are nearly identical in their dimensions Same thing for the SR compact series pistols are similar in size to several other as popular pistols like the PPS, Shield, XD SC, G26, G27, etc, but cost less!

Asking Crossbreed resulted in a flat out and very quick, “No way.”. Got no response from Double Tap at all. Almost the same way with Recluse but after several messages and a couple calls, they finally replied saying “It will be a very long wait indeed.” Leaving me to think all 3 holster makers listed in this article ARE NOT into making holsters they don’t already list whatsoever! So why put that into the article at all? It’s merely a huge waste of time for someone seeking a solution for a very good candidate for a pocket holster, ala, Ruger sR compact pistol series. Or just pick something else as good or better but not already on their list… same difference. Sig RS 290, HK P2000, etc.

Pocket holsters aren’t rocket science! I’d suspect anyone could probably get your local crafts shop to have someone pointed out to you that could sew one up for you that you have drawn out or designed,, for that matter.

I guess the pocket pistol holster making crowd has to figure on making only holsters for have belt buckle sized guns or maybe it has to be a Glock before anyone will list it on their sites. Sure I’m exaggerating some here but it sure seems that way. More than one place told me it was popularity that drove the market! Really? Meaning what? Demand for the holster per se? Or the actual Retail sales figures for the handgun itself?? Or isn’t it really a matter of a simple judgment call by the maker period? Yes. It is.

Or I suppose you can start buying only Glocks henceforth. Or drive your gun buying by what is available in holsters already.

More than a fair number of these “not so well known” makers are one or sometimes two people outfits are simply cottage industries, beautiques, Mom & pop shops, or just mom or just pop, hobbyists, or spare time adding to the main income effort folk (s).. and can’t or wont’ add on new model holsters to support. additionally, their warranty is really not something I’d put a lot of stock in, as it actually depends on their health, or mood, so lifetime assurances aren’t saying much. The real warranty is if they’ll take it back if it isn’t a decent to good fit initially. Or you are not satisfied. Those the only reassurance I want from holster makers.

The odd thing here is one would think, attempting to send new business their way, more individual or custom attention would or should be abailable there, albeit if at a premium, but it is desperately and sadly, not so.